Natasha Lytton

Really grateful to two market-leading Editors of subscription-led businesses and terrific ex-colleagues of mine, Catrin Griffiths and Alastair McLellan, for spending time with me last week on B2B content strategy. If you want to watch on-demand there is a link below. Highlights for me included: Impact on content strategy of the move to a paid subscription business model 17min46 Building a high value B2B content proposition 14min02, 23min05, & 31min29 How to motivate editors & editorial teams 29min42 & 50min47 Removing Print as a platform 45min02: https://lnkd.in/gbwftfwR

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We're into single figures of 'days to go' until our 'You are not your consumer' event in London, when we'll all be listening to 10 magnificent speakers and a wonderful client panel.   I've started compiling a reading list on the subject (in comments below) - articles that I think are well worth a read, some by our speakers, some not, but all on the same theme. If the subject is something you see as important to your organisation you might find these useful. Please share any others you have read and and I'll add them to the list. I think my favourite is still the one from Martin Weigel. If you do find them useful you're in good company, so if you're a brand and free on May 16th, and can get to London, let me know. Unfortunately, as predicted, late meetings are being put in some people's diaries who had previously registered so we will have a few tickets become available later this week for anyone who can come at this late notice. The peril of putting something on for free I guess - even though I want to avoid charging. Message me if interested. Get there early to witness a man visibly age from the panic he gets every year just thinking about whether anyone will actually turn up. Oh, and on a not unrelated note to my last post, I've just finished David Nicholl's new book 'You are here'. Excellent. A must read for anybody who thinks walking is more than just one foot in front of the other. 

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Update on our new free tool CoverageImpact. Reminder. We built this to help visualise how your #PR coverage impacts real-world outcomes. It's an experiment to see if we can encourage way more people to try. I'm seeing 20-30 people a day giving it a go. That's encouraging... Word is spreading. The mighty Gini Dietrich (creator of the PESO model) just did an entire podcast talking about it. Super chuffed about that. I'll add a link to the comments in a bit. I'm working on a case study page now from somebody that used the tool to help with a client award entry. It's looking cool. Obviously there are bugs and not everybody has been able to get it to work with their PR tool providers data. But we're on it! And I'm about to personally help. You can export your coverage data (we only need the publication dates) from most major monitoring tools. Then import it into CoverageImpact. The bad: - we're not entirely happy with the visualisation if the time period spans over multiple months. - people are crying out for better bulk uploading of their data - I've seen some cool examples of people using AI to analyse the graphs for correlation. Clearly we could do something here. It's not there yet. Far from it. But I'd love to make it super simple for PR teams to at least attempt to correlate their impact to Cost savings, Leads, Donations, Sales, Stock Price, Employee Satisfaction, Staff retention. You know. Real Impact. Will update again in a few months. Thank you for all the support so far.

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Bloomin' buzzing baby! 😘 LESS THAN TWO WEEKS TO GO until we announce the FEBE Growth 100 2024 list. The big reveal = June 19. 💥 We've done our research, spoken to loads of companies, and we're nearly ready to launch! The FEBE Growth 100 will feature the UK's fastest-growing FOUNDER-LED companies. 💯 🚀 And that's what makes FEBE unique. We celebrate founders – dreamers – the unemployables who've actually dared to go for it! Even more than that, we honour the TRUE ESSENCE OF ENTREPRENEURIALISM – with its roller-coaster ride of triumphs, obsessions, glorious failures and incredible successes. 🎉 FEBE's also unique because we're a gang. We keep in touch and often meet up. Getting into the FEBE Growth 100 means joining our gang – and that means new friendships, new highs and lows to share and new insights to gain from fellow founders. The new FEBE 100 list will welcome many, many fresh faces into the FEBE family, and I can't wait. This year marks FEBE's hat-trick year, with some awesome founders making the list three years in a row. And to top it all, we're gearing up for the highlight of the FEBE year — the FEBE Growth 100 2024 party at London's iconic Abbey Road Studios this September 🎶  – one of the most legendary spaces in the world for some of the world's most legendary people. 🏆 Watch this space for more updates 📣 FOR ENTREPRENEURS, BY ENTREPRENEURS #FEBEGrowth100 #entrepreneurs #success #founders #community

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2014 - became self-employed as wanted to make PR & brandbuilding affordable 2015 - hired my first employee 2016 - eight person full time and freelance team with an office in east London 2017 - first baby, shared parental leave, four-month tour of France 2018 - made team redundant worked on projects two days a week 2019 - cofounder of my kids joined my business, second baby, starting raising my profile and a newsletter. Lived in and out of hospital for 7-months with baby and 3 open heart surgeries and one wound infection. 2020 - wrote my first book, launched my first physical product set up DIY training. 2021 - attracted brand partnerships, speaking, workshops and wanted to stop agency work. Delayed stress to ❤️ stuff. 2 miscarriages. 2022 - tested out France. Moved to France. 2023 - 🌈 surprise rainbow baby. oct launched substack. Husband left business. Finally got confidence and platform to work in a way I love 2024 - here to help you Hype Yourself My Substack “success” is ten years of self-employed practice and five years of walking my own talk and raising my profile in public. If you are not there yet, you have time! Hold on in there.

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As a seasoned tech and content commentator, I'm always on the lookout for ground-breaking platforms. The latest on my radar is Quilter. Famous for destigmatizing tech complexities, nothing represents the epitome of innovation quite like Quilter. 👏 What makes Quilter extraordinary? • It intertwines future with reality, • It makes ground-breaking developments conceivable, • And it simplifies technological complexities. With emerging tech giants commanding an era of their own, it's herculean to be unique. But, Quilter’s different story infuses hope into an otherwise saturated market. 👍 💭 Here's a prediction I'm willing to stake my reputation on: Quilter will boom, erupting like a tech volcano, flowing into every tech industry sphere. We are not just observing a tech platform here but a futuristic ecosystem willing to transform the way we conceive technology. So, what does this mean to us - enthusiasts, professionals, and all tech jedis out there? Here are the takeaways: 1⃣ Embrace Quilter and other future tech platforms – don’t be a tech spectator, be an innovator. 2⃣ Continually learning and adapting – Fusion of expertise, fresh knowledge, and tech platforms like Quilter will form the ultimate power trio. 3⃣ Expansive thinking – The formation of tech platforms like Quilter epitomizes the importance of expansive, endless technological revolution-motivated thinking. Let's gaze at the future not as a far-off mystery but as an inviting challenge, overcoming obstacles, and antiquated ways through platforms like Quilter. The future isn't just coming; it's already here reshaping everything on its way through pioneers like Quilter. 🚀 Stimulating times are indeed ahead of us, with rapid transformation being the only constant. In the words of Wayne Gretzky, Skate where the puck is going, not where it has been. Keep pace, keep redefining, keep experimenting. The future isn't waiting, and neither should we. 💫 #TechRevolution #FutureTech #Innovation #Quilter

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🧳🧳Did you know that almost a third of Brits take precious time off work to pack for their holidays, saying it’s one of the most anxiety-inducing chores to do before a trip? That’s why we have launched a summer travel campaign, #GeminiBeforeYouFly. ✴️The insight was super clear✴️: People would rather do anything than pack. Almost a third of Brits always overpack, which can result in excess baggage fees and added stress. Add in children and the overwhelm can triple - especially if you’re packing last minute. ✴️The solution was also very clear✴️: The Gemini app is especially good with tackling a packing problem. You just need to give it the specifics in your prompt: what you need to pack, for how long, to where, what activities you’ll be doing, which airline you’re using, and what baggage you’re allowed. (Gemini will then give you dimensions for the suitcase on the airline, what clothes you should pack according to the weather that week, and any extras you may have not thought of. It’s magic!) ✴️The idea?✴️ Show the nation how to get the most out of Gemini by educating them on the best way to prompt to get the response they need, ahead of the busy summer travel season. Plus a chance to win a packing experience themselves ✈️ With this in mind, we worked with organisation expert and entrepreneur, Jemma Solomon, to show people how to use prompts. Additionally, our big call-to-action was to launch the 💪Gemini Packing Squad💪 - a group of experts that would travel the country to help a few lucky winners pack ahead of their holiday, using Gemini. Thanks Ogilvy UK for all your partnership on this fabulous consumer campaign. Happy packing!

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If you want to feel as confident pitching to #journorequests as Georgina does (and look at the success she has had with them!! 🤩) then my Masterclass next week will be just the thing you need… Introducing The Pitching Playbook: A #journorequest Masterclass! A 60-minute LIVE online workshop that will leave you ready for pitching success! In this live video training - on Thursday 27th June at 9.30am - I'll share: 📣 Proven techniques to craft compelling pitches. 📣 Real-life examples of successful #journorequest pitches. 📣 Tips to tailor your pitches specifically for journalists. Imagine what life could be like when you master the art of pitching: ⭐️Your inbox flooded with positive responses from journalists. ⭐️Increased media coverage that boosts your brand's visibility. ⭐️More time to focus on growing your business instead of stressing over pitches. Let's turn those rejections into YESes and make your media dreams a reality. Are you ready to take the leap? 🚀 Join me on Thursday 27th June at 9.30am UK time to transform your pitching techniques and elevate your media game. Link to sign up! https://lnkd.in/gS4wrbap

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Great interview on empowering creator-educators with our very own partnerships manager Olivia Owens on The Business of Creators podcast hosted by Ian Shepherd. Some key takeaways: - Start monetizing your audience as soon as possible. - Audience engagement matters much more than audience size. - Create a habit in your audience of investing in you and your business. - Be persistent: It takes 6 to 7 touches to really get someone to buy. - Don't overthink the value you need to provide to drive impact. Teachable strives to be your business partner, reduce complexity and help you get started quickly. https://lnkd.in/eahKNjQM

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My second panel is Wednesday morning: yes, comms and policy are important at an early stage, yes, if you build in tech you will be regulated, and yes, there are ways to be smart about this with limited resources! https://lnkd.in/eTM5E_mT

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Is business development currently your biggest headache? Certainly, two recent surveys suggest this is the case for Agency Leaders. According to a report in PRmoment, research from The Pulse Business Ltd states that 63% of PR & Comms Agency CEOs are grappling with new ways to grow their businesses. And the recent BenchPress State of the Agency Nation Report (for agencies over £1m) highlights that 40% of Agency Leaders cite winning new business as their biggest challenge. Would you like to take a quick but effective diagnostic that will help you better understand how to treat this headache? My business development scorecard has been specifically designed to help agencies better understand their level of fitness when it comes to sales. By asking searching questions around: 1️⃣ Positioning 2️⃣ Process 3️⃣ Planning 4️⃣ Pitching You'll identify where your strengths and weaknesses lie across the agency. Test it on your senior team to establish if there is alignment (you might be surprised - often times there isn't!). And if it throws up suprises, I'd be happy to hop on a no-obligation call to discuss the findings. Let me know how you get on. 👇 https://lnkd.in/eZKF99kp

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Some relevant thinking here - although I have been speaking about diversity of thinking and talent for awhile. Whether they are younger or older is irrelevant. Its more about alternative thinking and questioning of the what we all perceive to be the norm.... #businessscaling #marketingservices #digitalstrategy #businessabnormal Detch S. Kristian Curcio Cheuk Chiang Robert Tadros Bryce Coombe

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A Sign of the Times: Is this the Death of Daily/All Print Media? I ran a publication printed on recycled paper because I LOVE THE FEEL of turning a page BUT DOES THAT MEAN IT'S RIGHT? I then went on to launch Impact A.M. so I feel informed enough to ask this question Publishing is a small industry - disappointing for readers and the team at Evening Standard whom I have no doubt will have made every effort to keep it going - looking forward to reading a new successful weekly. It's hard not to see the Evening Standard's move as part of a larger trend – are we witnessing the end of daily broadsheets altogether? With City AM's fresh funding and new game plan, I sincerely hope this marks the beginning of a new chapter that positions us as a dominant force in the market. Reflecting on my time with Lawson Muncaster, which was one of the most career-defining periods, I believe City AM remains one of the premier brands across the Square Mile and the City. The Future is Digital – or Is It? There’s no denying the shift towards digital consumption, where morning news updates come straight to our phones with a simple tap. However, this raises a critical question: can print media still be viable in an ESG-conscious world? Can it remain authentic, competitive, and sustainable? Gihan Hyde and Julia Streets would love your thoughts on this along with Nim Haas Tracy W. Dr Jane Thomason and Amy Lewin who has pioneered Sifted into being one of my go-to publications for research and updates, last but by no means least the grafter,mover, shaker and hustler that is my new/old boss David Johnson as we will be shortly announcing a new exciting move with me rejoining the Maddyness UK team with official maddyness.fr email it is all very exciting. Innovative Distribution: A Strategic Advantage City AM’s 00's distribution model, reminiscent of my father’s pioneering days from Greenshield to being a founding team member of Argos, utilises a network of dedicated but skilled distributors. This old-school approach ensures cost-effective and efficient delivery, highlighting how print media can adapt and thrive even in challenging times. Amid rising paper and distribution costs, our industry faces significant hurdles. Balancing Tradition and Innovation As we navigate these changes, it’s crucial to strike the balance between embracing digital transformation and maintaining sustainable print practices. City AM's unique model proves that print media can still play a vital role if managed innovatively and sustainably. #Publishing #ESG #PrintMedia #DigitalTransformation #Sustainability #Innovation

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People often ask me what our Mac+Moore process is for brand naming. We’ve named plenty of brilliant businesses over the years from fashion (ALIGNE), to tech (One Beyond) and property (MYAH) and actually the process differs slightly every time. A far more interesting question is what are the qualities you need to be able to name a brand really well? Here are a few little-known skills and traits that you may already have that would put you in an excellent position to be able to come up with a top-notch brand name. 🎲 Being good at Scrabble - believe it or not, one of the strongest things you can have in your brand naming armour is a sizeable vocabulary. So if you’re regularly getting those triple word scores in Scrabble, chances are you’re already off to a good start 🍺 A great Pub Quizzer - I hate to break it to you but it’s 2024, so by now, most words have already been used in brand names. That means that people are having to find brand names in very different places. If you know a little bit about a LOT of things then you 💔 Being well-versed in heartbreak - As with the above point, most ideas have already been taken. This means that unfortunately most of the ‘perfect’ ideas you come up with that perfectly match the business, the proposition and sound brilliant enough to sell in to your client (and their customers) will already have been taken. This can be truly heartbreaking. But you have to be able to pick yourself up, dust yourself down, and try again. Something the modern world of online dating gives you a LOT of practice in. So if you can see yourself in any or all of the above and are in the market for a new brand name, try flexing your vocab or drawing on some obscure quiz knowledge. And when you find that a stuffed walrus brand in Wisconsin has already taken the perfect name, you'll know from past experience that it obviously wasn’t the one after all. Oh, and if you’re still at a loss after all of that… give us a ring. -------- ➕ Mac+Moore helps values-led business leaders solve tomorrow’s problems by moving brands forward. We're here for you if you are: 🎯 Struggling to articulate what you do for the people who count 🎯 Stuck on a big question about your brand, positioning or tone of voice 🎯 Missing the mark on your marketing and need an outsider insider lens

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Video is a brilliant way of showcasing the talented people behind your organisation and highlighting great work you do for your clients. 🎥 Here’s a good example from Automata which demonstrates how you could use the power of video to create a personal connection with your audience. 👍 Why not start today? 🤔 🎥 Introduce your business. 👩‍💼 Explain what makes your products and services unique. 🎬 Share tips and advice with your clients. 👩‍💻 Tell them about a piece of work you’ve recently delivered. 📞 Encourage them to reach out for your help. #videoproduction #smartphonevideotraining #cameraconfidence #socialmediavideos #filming #editing #GetVisibleWithVideo #EmbraceVideo

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I've read a lot of interesting takes on this social platform and others, regarding the demise of the Evening Standard (newspaper). I spent two spells at the Standard and, largely, have great memories of my time there, worked with some brilliant journalists and fulfilled a childhood dream of seeing my byline in the paper that my Dad brought home from his commute each day. My first spell (2005-2009) was working as a reporter for, primarily the newspaper, which published three editions each day. One person (!) was tasked with uploading our stories online which he dutifully did throughout the day. My second spell was as digital sports editor (2013-2016), as the organisation began to pivot more purposefully towards digital. The decline of print has been two decades in the making, at least. The fact is, we all have these incredibly powerful devices that access a whole host of news sources rapidly. Newspaper ad revenues have plummeted because, yes people do not want to pay for print products like they used to, but most significantly, the social platforms offer advertisers incredible data and targeting. It’s not a fair fight. Newspapers had needed to evolve into digital first news brands since the turn of the century - with purpose and a clear commercial strategy. The Standard was slower than others to realise this, partly because of its privileged and long established distribution network across London. It also leant to the right, supporting Tory mayoral candidates and preferring to concern itself more with London’s aspirational set rather than an increasingly diverse, economically-challenged city. That suited the commercial team which liked to position the paper as a harbinger of middle class trends, and go after the luxury brands. London is a lot of things to a lot of people, but 8 years under a Labour Mayor tells its own story. Nevertheless, the Standard always championed investigative journalism, proper news values, and often set the agenda for the dailies the following day. I hope it continues to do this via digital platforms and products because the name means something to a lot of people and there remains some really talented and committed journalists at the paper. For those mourning the paper’s demise, ask yourself: when was the last time I paid for a newspaper? We are all complicit in print’s decline because tech has changed the means with which we get our news. But with all the fake news out there, major news stories such as national elections in the UK and US and conflict raging in the Middle East and Europe, real, trusted journalism matters more than ever in 2024. The Standard's owners do not need to look far to see how newspapers have successfully pivoted to online, with The Independent (also owned by the Lebedevs) and Daily Mail both growing their audiences, revenues and improving their user experience in recent months.

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📧 🤩 In case you missed it, we launched Black Unicorn PR's shiny new newsletter a couple of weeks ago. 🔥 Feedback so far is that it's liiiittt (Can we keep it up? Sign up and put some pressure on us 😜) We bring you: 💎 Our team's weekly PR advice, insights and tips 💎 A blend of what we found the most interesting weekly news from the world of media, startups / VC and tech 💎 Reading, podcast and other recommendations 💎 Charts, graphs, reports and data 💎 Memes and fun content Just one email per week. No shitty spam. Promised. 🤗 Oh and we listen to feedback, recommendations and suggestions, so keep 'em coming! Sign up via link in the comments👇

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So what does a General Election mean for your PR team? 💁‍♀️ 📰 ✨ If, like me, you're working on a variety of activities over the next month, you'll be considering how things will look in the run-up to the 4th July in the UK. You'll be asking: should I press pause or pivot my PR plans or should I just crack on? Here's my tuppence: 👉 There will -obviously- be an increased media focus on politics. The general election is almost certainly going to lead the news for the next few weeks - from debates, updates, and coverage of election-related events. This can make it challenging for non-political stories to land (or land well). 👉 Your audiences' attention will also be heavily focused on the election, which might reduce the impact of your PR efforts as people may be more engaged with political news and less with other areas of the media (ie. lifestyle, consumer finance, technology). 👉 Editors and journalists will likely prioritise political stories over other content, leading to less coverage and lower chances of your work getting featured prominently. Similarly, journalists who cover non-political beats might get roped into the GE coverage, so don't assume anyone is working BAU. So what can you do about it? Most of us won't want to turn the taps off entirely and if you're gearing up for something big, you might worry about missing your moment (and trust me, I know that sucks because I was meant to launch a campaign 9th September 2022). Consider your options. 1️⃣ Reschedule your PR diary - If possible, it might be time to pivot your activity so that anything major kicks off after mid-July (assuming it's a clean election and there's not another hung parliament / coalition situation). This will help you avoid the peak election coverage period, particularly if you're launching a bigger project or campaign. 2️⃣ Embrace newsjacking - You can't be afraid to lean into politics with a small-p for this one, but if rescheduling is simply not an option, consider tying your PR campaign to the election in a relevant and newsworthy way. 3️⃣ Go niche - Now might not be the time to hit up your pals at the nationals. Think about the smaller publications that have a different remit. Be creative if you're on the consumer side. If you have a B2B arm, hone in on it. Focus on niche publications and online platforms that might still have space for your story, even during the election period. 4️⃣ Break away from the usual earned media channels - Think about your owned options. Social media, email marketing, and other direct channels can help you reach your audience when the media agenda is too crowded. Using these channels also means you can be more reactive, entertaining, and consistent in your comms despite the saturation of election news. There you go. My starter for ten. What would you add? Or if you have a question about what you should do, drop a comment or give me a bell. 🔔

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I finally had the opportunity to watch the full video Headline Media posted of a panel we hosted in London with LocalGlobe a few weeks back featuring insights from some of the best marketers we have worked with over the years such as Lauren Berkemeyer from YuLife, Yael Wissner-Levy from Lemonade, and Matthew Jones from Cowbell. It’s a true masterclass. Will try to share these great insights as they pop up.   Below is Yael Wissner Levy discussing how storytelling was a key element in Lemonade's GTM strategy from the ground up long before product hit market.    I get asked what the 40 or so unicorns we have been lucky enough to play with have in common. First, they are overwhelmingly second timer founders. As second timers, they know where to put their investment of time and resources right out of the gate for the best long-term outcome.  Almost all of them put storytelling at the top of the agenda early in the lifecycle of the startup. I promise you, these are hard-core tech guys so they don’t instinctively gravitate towards, or even like storytelling or marketing. BUT they do know that making “Phuking A” hires to run marketing or brand as early as possible and well before the product is ready increases the chance of adoption, and a massive ROI on their investment down the road.      Faye Co-Founder Daniel G. shared a similar experience with me at the event described, but gave credit to Viola Ventures Omry Ben David for encouraging them to grab the incredible Lauren Gumport during early days.  Needless to say, it is clearly paying off (Lauren and the Faye team are crushing it...).   Point is…dealing with storytelling and marketing is indeed a nightmare before product is ready, but the people with the most experience and success know that it is twice as hard to play catchup down the road with your positioning. Without building a significant brand narrative out of the gate, you will end up leaving money on the table. Enjoy.

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